Chew on This

Sunday

Mar 3, 2013 at 2:56 PM

Do you know how beneficial chewing gum really is?

Mazzenga Daniels

Remember when you were in grade school, all the teachers would make you spit out your gum if you were caught chewing. Well, they may have been doing you a HUGE disadvantage by telling you to do that. Did you know that you can save yourself over 60 calories in a day by chewing sugar free gum?

Research done by the University Of Rhode Island, released last October, suggests that chewing gum may help reduce your calorie intake while at the same time enhancing your calorie burning. The study also showed that you can save 60 calories in a day by just casually chewing sugar free gum for an hour in the morning. It also showed that if gum was chewed before and after meals, calorie burning was higher in those that did not chew gum after a meal.

Chewing gum in between meals can help you avoid those trips to the fridge for a snack. It also helps you avoid making the mistake of getting that double cheese burger you have been craving on the ride home from work. Chewing a piece of gum right after a meal can help you say NO to that huge piece of chocolate cake the server offered you. If you like to nibble while you cook at home, pop a piece of gum in your mouth. This will help you avoid those extra calories while you cook. Chewing gum can also help keep your teeth healthy by keeping them clean. Just be sure you're chewing sugar-free. With all the fun sugar-free flavors out on the market nowadays, you would be hard pressed to not find a flavor you love.

As with anything, you should not replace meals with chewing gum because there is no nutritional value to gum. Also, chewing too much gum does have some side effects including loose stools. In addition, chewing too much gum with your mouth open can lead to bloating.

Another great thing about gum is how it affects your memory and mental alertness. According to Professor Gary L. Wenk Ph. D. of psychologytoday.com, gum includes benefits such as heightening alertness, having a quicker reaction time, and advancing the speed of encoding new information. He also pointed out that chewing gum doesn't distract you from the task at hand. It doesn't impair your ability to pay attention. It in fact does the exact opposite. So chew on when studying for that upcoming final exam! For more information, call the Wayne County YMCA at (570) 253-2083. You can also visit us on the web at ymcawayne.com.